Very Perry

The newly revitalized dining space at Perry Street, which had been closed for months due to damage by Hurricane Sandy. Photo: Francesco Tonelli

A homecoming can be sweet, but at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Perry Street restaurant, it’s also quite savory. After being shuttered since late October, when Hurricane Sandy flooded its basement and kitchen, the sleek and chic space in Richard Meier’s landmark glass towers on the Hudson River has finally reopened.

The West Village hot spot is more than just another location in the highly acclaimed French chef’s global restaurant empire. “It’s like my living room,” says Vongerichten, who lives with his family in one of the Meier-designed residences upstairs. “My daughter and wife will go down and order a burger and fries, or pasta for dinner.” Cedric Vongerichten, Jean-Georges’s son, who also resides in the neighborhood, is the chef de cuisine.

Storm water surged into the restaurant’s basement during Hurricane Sandy, destroying its kitchen. Photo: Jean-Georges Vongerichten

The hurricane damage was substantial: six feet of storm water flooded the kitchen. In comparison, the inch and a half that flooded the main dining area seems minor, but it was enough to necessitate replacing the bar equipment, curtains, plasterwork, and carpet. However, despite the almost half-million-dollar overhaul, a diner will barely notice the difference. Architect and designer Thomas Juul-Hansen, who crafted the original elegantly minimalist restaurant when it first opened in 2005, also masterminded the restoration. “It didn’t feel like it had aged since we first did it,” Juul-Hansen said. “It feels like the first day we opened. It still feels like we designed it a week ago.”

The Richard Meier–designed Perry Street Towers on the Hudson River waterfront; home to the restaurant as well as the Vongerichten family apartment. Photo: Scott Frances

There is one minor change to the dining room design, however. The curtains that surround the glass-walled space have a slightly larger sheer panel, which makes the diner even more connected with the spectacular views of the river.

Vongerichten can’t help but get emotional over the reopening. “Sometimes a restaurant is impersonal, but people feel like they’re part of Perry Street. I don’t know why. Maybe the love we put into it. It’s a special place.”